Test: best portable games consoles reviewed and rated

The Gadget
Show presenter Pollyanna Woodward says of the Razer Edge Pro: "An
extravagance, even for perpetually upgrading gamers." She is seated
on the Medici chair, which won the Design Museum's Furniture Design
of the Year 2013

Charlie Surbey

This article was taken from the September 2013 issue of
Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print
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Which of these portable games consoles gets the highest
score?

How we tested
With the help of The Gadget Show presenter Pollyanna
Woodward, Wired tested a selection of hand-held gaming devices away
from their power supplies. Points were awarded for battery life and
boot-up times (although all were unsuitable for a plug-less
long-haul flight or instant-access gaming). Storage on all devices
was a factor: newer games' file sizes are huge, so you can't store
more than five games per console without extra memory. The library
of games also differs massively between devices, so if you want a
varied experience, go for a device that runs a popular OS such as
Windows or Android. The Gadget Showis on Channel 5, Mondays at
8pm.

Nintendo 3DSDave Lidwell

Nintendo 3DS This is the XL, with a 90 per cent bigger screen and a
longer battery life thanthe original. This enhances the 3D effect,
but the screen is the same resolution as the standard model, so it
looks pixellated. Strangely, it doesn't include a charger. "I love
Super Mario but have never been enamoured of this device," says
Woodward. "The 3D strains the eyes. If you want a 3DS, I'd go for
the normal model."

Archos Gamepad
At £129, this seven-inch tablet-cum-console seems too good to be
true. Unfortunately, it is. It's slow, the screen is dim and
battery life is poor. However, Woodward liked the fact that its
Android support gives you access to thousands of free games and
social networking."It offers a tablet experience, so it's something
I'm more likely to take with me," she says.

Razer Edge Pro
This is a gaming PC squeezed into a 10.1-inch portable console,
but at a price: $1,299 (£836) for the 128GB model, $249 (£160) for
the optional Gamepad controller. Battery life is just over an hour
-- an extra battery pack is $69 (£45), and in this form it weighs
nearly 2kg. "It's beyond Xbox 360 in terms of visuals, but the
issue is the weight," Woodward says. "I won't be ditching my
existing tablet for it."

Sony PlayStation Vita
Sony's PlayStation Vita boasts a solid feel and a gorgeous screen,
but games cost as much as the PS3 equivalents. However, PlayStation
Plus gives you a new game a month for £40 a year. Also you buy
games just once and can play them on PS3 and Vita. "The library,
screen and design are fantastic, but games are pricy. Still,
this is my number one," says Woodward.